A Note for New Carvers

**bharner** · 03-03-2013, 08:32 PM

Where's a good place to find wood to carve for those of us without access to trees we can legally hack up?
I picked up a little bag of basswood pieces at the big box craft store but the pieces are small. I'm using them to practice cuts and shaping and the whatnot but would like to try my hand at a spoon.

Tapatalk ate my spelling and grammar.

**crookedknife** · 03-03-2013, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by bharner

Where's a good place to find wood to carve for those of us without access to trees we can legally hack up?
I picked up a little bag of basswood pieces at the big box craft store but the pieces are small. I'm using them to practice cuts and shaping and the whatnot but would like to try my hand at a spoon.

You might ask for birch at a lumber yard. It will probably only come in 1" thickness (3/4" really) but that would be enough to carve a good eating spoon or a cookie / mixing spoon.

**peregrine2000** · 03-03-2013, 09:38 PM

Thanks for sharing. This is the knife that I learned how to carve with, and its still the knife I use for all my projects. Great blade and design for those small cuts that a larger, wider blade can't make.

Originally Posted by bharner

Where's a good place to find wood to carve for those of us without access to trees we can legally hack up?
I picked up a little bag of basswood pieces at the big box craft store but the pieces are small. I'm using them to practice cuts and shaping and the whatnot but would like to try my hand at a spoon.

Tapatalk ate my spelling and grammar.

Call a local tree service company and ask if they have any jobs in the area. They are usually more than willing for you to truck away some of the wood. Less work for them to chip it all.

**chopchop** · 03-04-2013, 04:27 AM

Originally Posted by crookedknife

I'm currently teaching a spoon carving class to a group of adults. I explained to them the different types and styles of spoon hollowing knives. I took several of each type to class, and especially encouraged them to try the Native style knife (much like a Kestrel brand). Without fail, they all gravitated to the Pinewood Forge / Del Stubbs knife. The Native style knife is much, much faster to use, but it takes a loooong time to learn to use it well. The good thing about the Scandinavian style made by Del is that it can be held exactly as you hold your regular carving knife, which makes it really comfortable from the beginning. It would be hard to go wrong with Del's knife - he does really high quality work.

Thanks for the advice! That mooserib is a beauty!

I think I might go ahead and try one of those kestrel blades... I'm sure the Stubbs knife is a good one, but I'm looking for something a little more towards the mocotaugan style. If it takes a long time to learn to use it, I might as well get started sooner than later right?

**Schwert** · 03-04-2013, 05:40 PM

Crooked...this is a really beautiful knife....

Is that a Kestrel on that rib?

I have a couple of his blades, but not in as nice a handle.

**crookedknife** · 03-04-2013, 06:11 PM

Originally Posted by chopchop

If it takes a long time to learn to use it, I might as well get started sooner than later right?

The main thing is that the Native-style / Kestrel knife is held with blade down like a dagger. It is a strange feeling if you haven't done it before and takes a different set of muscles, but you have MUCH more power that way and of course can cut both directions without moving the spoon or cup. At one time Kestrel had a video on technique with the thing, but that was maybe 15 - 20 years ago. ---- BTW Kestrel Tool has done a major downsize in the past few years. Gregg Blomberg, the owner / founder is the only one making knives now. He is in his mid 70's and has hinted at complete retirement - so you might want to grab one soon if you want one.

**crookedknife** · 03-04-2013, 06:20 PM

[QUOTE=Schwert;1529909]Crooked...this is a really beautiful knife....
Is that a Kestrel on that rib?
I have a couple of his blades, but not in as nice a handle.QUOTE]

Yessir, that is a Kestrel blade. It's one of his first blades from about 1982 or so. Actually the rib handle wasn't intended to be a thing of beauty, but I did want something hard to use as a burnisher. (I've seen burnishing called "boning" here on the site.) I'll admit that it has gained a little character over time. I have about two dozen Kestrels and the museum I work with has several dozen. I have been given every other brand of this style knife that has been on the market in the past 30 years or so, and this is the only one I use personally. I use the standard bend shown on the rib, and then I use an "extra crooked" to hollow cups, bowls, masks and so on. Great tools.

**Schwert** · 03-04-2013, 06:33 PM

They really are great tools. Mine come from around 1984 or so....when I first moved up to Seattle. Gregg would have a demo at the Folk Life Festival. Always a good crowd around his booth.

I have to say I do find the Scandinavian hooks easier in my hands, but the NW crook has a real niche for certain work. I have crooks from North Bay Forge also (one in that old image) which I find very nice for deep cup work. These do not carve with the same feel (flat bottom plane) as the Kestrel though.

His Baby NW Coast is one of my favorite small straight knives.

**alukban** · 03-04-2013, 06:45 PM

[QUOTE=crookedknife;1529955]

Originally Posted by Schwert

Crooked...this is a really beautiful knife....
Is that a Kestrel on that rib?
I have a couple of his blades, but not in as nice a handle.QUOTE]

Yessir, that is a Kestrel blade. It's one of his first blades from about 1982 or so. Actually the rib handle wasn't intended to be a thing of beauty, but I did want something hard to use as a burnisher. (I've seen burnishing called "boning" here on the site.) I'll admit that it has gained a little character over time. I have about two dozen Kestrels and the museum I work with has several dozen. I have been given every other brand of this style knife that has been on the market in the past 30 years or so, and this is the only one I use personally. I use the standard bend shown on the rib, and then I use an "extra crooked" to hollow cups, bowls, masks and so on. Great tools.

I knew that blade looked familiar - like my "C blade"

I've had mine for about a decade and swear by it. It removes material freakishly/scary FAST...

**chopchop** · 03-05-2013, 01:58 AM

Originally Posted by crookedknife

BTW Kestrel Tool has done a major downsize in the past few years. Gregg Blomberg, the owner / founder is the only one making knives now. He is in his mid 70's and has hinted at complete retirement - so you might want to grab one soon if you want one.

Thanks for the heads up. I went ahead put in an order for a C blade today. I'm looking forward to hafting it and getting started!